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International and Regional Plant

Health Standards

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Plant health standards protect international and regional trade systems against pest

introduction and spread. APHIS, along with counterparts from around the world,

create standards that can be implemented by the United States and other countries.

APHIS' Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program represents our country in the

International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and North American Plant Protection

Organization (NAPPO).

PPQ's Role in IPPC and NAPPO

The IPPC is an international plant protection agreement that aims to prevent the

introduction and spread of plant pests and promote appropriate measures for their

control. There are currently 184 countries that have signed the agreement and form

the IPPC community. Together, they govern phytosanitary activities of the

Convention, oversee development of international plant health standards, encourage

exchange of official and scientific information, and provide technical assistance to

developing member countries.
Created in 1976, NAPPO is the regional plant protection organization for North

America. Its member countries are the United States, Canada, and Mexico. NAPPO

members coordinate efforts to protect regional plant resources against the entry,

establishment, and spread of regulated plant pests, while facilitating regional trade

into and between member countries.

APHIS-PPQ is an active participant and U.S. leader at the table with IPPC and NAPPO.

We develop and implement international and regional plant health standards and

ensure that U.S. interests are well-represented. Furthermore, we:

Provide subject matter experts

Help create work plans

Identify strategic priorities

Promote science-based approaches to harmonize phytosanitary measures.

International and Regional Harmonization

To support PPQ’s international and regional harmonization work, we established the

International Phytosanitary Standards (IPS) team in 2012 to coordinate, oversee, and

manage U.S. activities, resources, and efforts. This occurs at two primary standard

setting institutions–global plant health standard setting at the IPPC, and regional

standards development at NAPPO.

That same year, we also established a cross functional working group known as the

Harmonization Advisory Group under a PPQ charter (updated in 2019). This group

provides a virtual organization framework to:

Leverage resources from across PPQ,

Coordinate and implement PPQ strategies,

Ensure internally vetted positions, and

Enable timely and effective communications with the broader PPQ community

in relation to harmonization efforts.

International and Regional Plant Health

Standards

Requests for Topics, Treatment Data, and Experts 
The International Plant Protection Convention and North American Plant Protection

Organization request input from member countries on plant health standards.

Draft Plant Health Standards 

Feedback from stakeholders helps us create safe and fair international plant health

standards, ensuring a level playing field for U.S. products abroad.

Adopted International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures

(ISPMs)

The IPPC is the only international standard setting organization for plant health

recognized by the World Trade Organization (WTO) under the Agreement on the

Application of Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (the SPS Agreement).

The Commission on Phytosanitary Measures adopts international standards for

phytosanitary (plant health) measures, known as ISPMs. Standards in themselves

are not regulatory instruments, but they come into force once countries establish

requirements based on specific standards within their national legislation. Requests

for specific information on import requirements should be addressed to the national

plant protection organization of the country of import.

For more information about IPPC standards, contact PPQ's IPPC Technical Director at

marina.a.zlotina@usda.gov.

Adopted Regional Standards for Phytosanitary Measures

(RSPMs)

NAPPO develops science-based regional standards for phytosanitary measures

(RSPMs), which are intended to protect regional agricultural, forest, and other plant

resources against regulated plant pests while facilitating trade. The NAPPO

Executive Committee approves all RSPMs.

For more information about NAPPO standards, contact PPQ's NAPPO Technical

Director at stephanie.m.dubon@usda.gov.